Matthew McConaughey Barbecued For Los Angeles Firefighters

It’s been a rough past year for much of Los Angeles as the city has dealt with an outbreak of disastrous wildfires that have been a challenge to contain. Once again the city is on fire and firefighters have worked tirelessly to extinguish them, while preventing further destruction. Actor Matthew McConaughey decided to show his appreciation with a Friday barbecue, according to ABC News.

The Dazed and Confused actor was joined by volunteers from Wild Turkey Bourbon, a premium American bourbon brand, as well as a non-profit organization called Operation BBQ Relief that works to provide meals for emergency personnel in times of natural disaster. In total, they provided around 800 tasty turkey dinners for the firefighters who are risking their lives courageously to keep the city and its citizens safe. But they didn’t stop there. They also cooked up an extra 800 dinners which were distributed to local homeless shelters.

McConaughey takes a special kind of pride in Wild Turkey Bourbon because he serves as the brand’s creative director and helped to organize this year’s philanthropic event, entitled “With Thanks.” In partnership with the brand Operation BBQ Relief, Wild Turkey Bourbon will serve meals to first responders not just within California, but all over the nation throughout the year.

Originally, Friday’s event was planned to be a kind way to show appreciation to firefighters for their hard work taking down last year’s horrific Woolsey Fire that displaced people from their homes and even claimed lives. When arranging the dinner, volunteers didn’t know at the time that it would actually turn into a way to assist firefighters who are currently in the midst of battling yet another outbreak.

“Little did we know when planning this annual event that California, my second home, would once again be hit with devastating fires. We are grateful to be here today to say thank you, shine a light on their unwavering conviction, and hopefully inspire others to get involved and help in their own communities,” McConaughey said in a statement.

As The Inquisitr previously reported, several big-name celebrities were affected by the Woolsey fire, which tore through not just Los Angeles but also Malibu and Calabasas.

Model Bella Hadid extended her sympathies to those who lost their homes during the tragic time.

“My heart is so broken, I am so sorry to every single person that lost their homes, and I hope we can come up with something very soon to help,” she said.